. >> reporter: that's right. i'm told the vice president is now playing a direct role in these negotiations, trying to get to a deal, a last-minute deal, a key player in the final hours. president obama set off the high-stakes weekend scramble friday night, imploring congressional leaders to take action immediately. >> the american people are not going to have any patience for a politically self-inflicted wound to our economy. >> reporter: with that harry reid and mitch mcconnell launched a last-ditch effort to craft a bipartisan plan to that would at the very least, protect most people from a big tax hike going into effect on new year's day. the senators and their staffs negotiated all day saturday. saturday night republican leader mcconnell made his offer. by this morning, a clear sense of optimism and warnings that failure would be unthinkable. >> there are certainly no breakthroughs yet, but there's a real possibility of a deal. >> if we are not able to reach an agreement, it will be dire. >> reporter: but th